Roche-à-Bateaux
"Pa pale sa ou pa we ak prop je ou." Never talk about something that you have not seen with your own eyes. -Haitian proverb Roche-à-Bateaux (Kreyol: Wòchabato) is a commune in the Côteaux Arrondissement, Sud department of Haiti. In 2009, the municipality had 16,727 residents. ]] Roche-à-Bateau, the other part of Haiti to visit Clean. Rather green. Electrified. Virgin. Roche-à -Bateau, this small town in the southern department of an area of about 65 square kilometers, is the other part of Haiti that deserves to be visited. With its beautiful undeveloped white sand beaches, hospitality and natural tranquility, this region of the country does not make too much effort to charm its visitors... We do not talk much about it. His elected representatives in the Chamber of Deputies have always been very shy. However, this region of the country is the other Haiti to discover. Located about 5 hours by car from Port-au-Prince, Roche-à-Bateau, which became a commune October 10, 1953 under President Paul Eugène Magloire, has 23,000 inhabitants according to the new chief mayor, 30,000 to 35,000 inhabitants according to the estimates of the deputy of the constituency, 18 394 inhabitants according to projections of the IHSI dated 2015. About Roche-à -Bateau is located on the southwest part of the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti between Port-Salut and Côteaux, two other communes that are more developed but not more pleasant. The town of Roche-à-Bateau was founded in 1800 and raised to the rank of commune in 1953. It has three communal sections. The city and the 1st section of Rose-Beaulieu are coastal. The other two communal sections, Renaudin and Boclos-Martinette, are interior. The dominant relief of the city is the plain and that of the communal sections is the hills. The climate of the town is considered normal. Its inhabitants are called Roche-à-Batelais. In 1998, the total population of Roche à Bateau was 19,676 inhabitants with 302 inhabitants / km2. The urban area has a population density of 3,610 per km2 (9,216 inhabitants per square mile). ]] History The lore of the name Roche-a-Bateau has two versions. In the first, it is said an exploring sailor chanced upon Roche-à-Bateau port. Learning the topography of the village, his imagination saw it resembled the shape of a boat, or bateau in French. In the second version, the harbor teemed with sea vessels from foreign shores, all bringing exports to market. In order to keep boats from hitting each other, the merchantmen placed rocks in the bottoms of the boats, and the name of the village, Bateau, then became Roche-à-Bateau, or boat of rocks in English. Economy At the level of Economic and Financial Infrastructures, the municipality has only one marketing cooperative. The residents of the village engage in agriculture, the backbone of the economy, as well as raising livestock and operating fish hatcheries. Agriculture, livestock, trade and fishing are the main economic activities of the municipality. There is no bank, hotel, board, etc. No commercial bank or money transfer house is interested in Roche-à-Bateau. Business opportunities are legion. Most houses are covered with sheet metal, but well built and well aligned. The DGI has only one agent housed in the premises of the town hall. Pistachio, millet, banana, figs, and trees, among others, are grown here. Infrastructure Education The Ministry of National Education of Youth and Sports, is not represented in the commune of Roche à Bateau. The commune has a high school, two national schools, two congregational primary schools and two other private schools. After classical studies, young people from Roche-à-Bateau have to go to Les Cayes or Port-au-Prince if they want to enroll in a university or a vocational school. Health The Ministry of Public Health and Population is not represented in the commune. There is a small clinic, with two assistants and a laboratory technician, that serves the population. If one falls ill, it is in Port-Salut or Les Cayes that one must go. That said, Roche-à-Bateau does not have the appropriate sanitary infrastructure. Utilities and Communication As for the water potential, the town has three rivers, sixteen springs, a pond, two lagoons, and more than three dozen wells and public fountains. The city center receives daily between 11 and 14 hours of power through a hybrid power plant (solar panels and engines using diesel). The Coteaux District Cooperative (CEAC) produces and sells electricity for three municipalities, including Roche-à-Bateau. Roche-à-Bateaux has a sanitation service, a postal office and a radio station. It has no newspaper / magazine or television station. Security For administrative infrastructures, the National Police of Haiti (PNH) is not represented in the commune. Two justices of the peace and a registrar of civil status are housed at the town hall. At the police station, two policemen ensure the safety of approximately 20,000 inhabitants living in Roche-à-Bateau and its three communal sections: Beaulieu, Renodin and Boklo. However, in case of emergency, the police of the neighboring communes of Port-Salut and Côteaux can always come in reinforcement. According to the mayor, there are no gangs in this commune, but petty thieves who burglarize houses at night in the absence of their owners. Culture Religion Roche-à-Bateau is predominately a Christian community, and its church, St.-Michel Roche-à-Bateau, has an interesting history. Residents of the village, around the turn-of- the-century, saw a connection between the name of the town, meaning boat of rocks, and the Catholic gospels, in which Christ's disciples were fishermen, and St. Peter the rock of the early Christian church. The bishop of Roche-à-Bateau saw the connection as well and agreed to build a church. Twice the church was destroyed by hurricanes, but has been rebuilt as a proud symbol of the town and Catholic community. The commune has six other Catholic churches (including chapels), three Episcopal churches, five Baptist churches, two Adventist churches, four Pentecostal churches, two Wesleyan churches, a Kingdom Hall (Jehovah's Witness) and a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon) -Christ of the Saints of the last day. Organizations With regard to parties and organizations, the commune has sixteen popular organizations, two peasants groups and two womens groups. Leisure As for Leisure, the commune of Roche à Bateau has no library, no museum, no theater nor cinema. Roche-à-Bateau has a small public square and several nightclubs, but above all, it is the sea, the hot sand and football (soccer) that are the main leisure activities for young people. In addition, the town celebrates its patron saint "St Michel" every 29th of September. An annual festival held every year at the end of July for 13 years is the mythical rendezvous of the elders of the region. The Source Hotel and Sparadis on the Rock are the two main hotels in Roche-à-Bateau with thirty rooms for both. Table-au-diable, an island of less than 5 square meters, is the main tourist site of the town. However, we can always take you to the Marie-Jeanne cave located in Port-à-Piment. Social cohesion The top factors that generate significant problems within the commune: * The main priority of Roche-à-Bateau, alternating between a drinking water supply system the strengthening of agriculture. *"Roche-à-Bateau's biggest problem is juvenile delinquency, which is perhaps linked to a lack of supervision. young people," a councilman said. According to him, politics divides society and the church feels the impact of this situation, especially during the election period. According to some young people from Roche-à-Bateau, they are proud to be from this region of the country. But the beautiful beaches and the tranquility of the area are not enough for their happiness. The rest must follow: school, university, leisure, and jobs, among others. Neighborhoods Rab320.png rab320c.png rab320d.jpg|Roche-a-Bateau rab320f.jpg References Roche a Bateux: The other part of Haiti to visit http://lenouvelliste.com/article/161612/roche-a-bateau-lautre-partie-dhaiti-quil-faut-visiter Michael Vedrine Category:Les Côteaux Arrondissement Category:Sud, Haiti Category:Communes with 3 neighbors